If you’ve dropped by our dental clinic in Orpington, then you’ve probably had a conversation with one of our dentists regarding the usefulness of mouthwash. While mouthwash can be beneficial for your overall oral health, people have certain misconceptions regarding its usefulness. 

Indeed, mouthwash can be helpful, but only if you use it properly. To help you out with this, we’ve prepared a short guide on how to properly include mouthwash in your oral health routine. 

Benefits of Using Mouthwash

Before we jump into things, it’s important to understand what benefits mouthwash brings when it comes to your oral health. Generally, these range from superficial benefits to more significant improvements mouthwash can make to oral health.

The most obvious benefit that mouthwash can give you is fresh breath. Mouthwash is made with ingredients that are specifically geared towards aiding with bad breath. What’s great about this is that it also comes in a multitude of different flavours, meaning you can choose the one that best suits you.

Mouthwash can also help get rid of food particles that are left behind after eating. The fact of the matter is that your toothbrush alone won’t be enough to get rid of all the food particles. This is because some of the particles can get stuck in between your teeth. Mouthwash can flush these particles out, which can help deter cavities and tooth decay.

Lastly, mouthwash can also fight cavities from growing. This can be attributed to the fluoride that is found in most, if not all, mouthwash. With that being said, it would be best to check the label at the back of your mouthwash to see if it contains fluoride. 

Types of Mouthwash

Speaking of checking the ingredients, different types of mouthwash make use of different ingredients that change what they are used for. Because of this, you’ll want to keep an eye out for specific ingredients as they can help you decide which mouthwash to use depending on what you need.

As we’ve already mentioned above, fluoride can help fight off cavities. Likewise, you must use mouthwash with fluoride to improve your overall oral health. If you’re looking for antibacterial mouthwash, be sure to look for ones that contain chlorhexidine to help deal with gum inflammation and prevent infections. This type of mouthwash is usually used after dental procedures.

You’ll also want to steer clear of alcohol-based mouthwashes because they tend to dry out your mouth. In fact, dry mouths are susceptible to bacteria as they are devoid of the saliva that naturally flushes the bacteria out. This can make your mouth more prone to sores.

When to Use Mouthwash

Ideally, the best time to use mouthwash is after every meal, as it can help flush out food particles that could be stuck in your teeth. It also acts as an adequate substitute for brushing your teeth if the situation doesn’t permit you to step away for a quick brush. Contrary to popular belief, you definitely shouldn’t be using mouthwash after brushing your teeth. This is because it could potentially wash away the fluoride that protects your teeth.

Conclusion

Mouthwash can be particularly useful when it comes to improving your general oral health, as long as it’s used properly. As such, remember to consider the benefits of using mouthwash and its types. Hopefully, this article has helped you learn about how to properly use mouthwash!

H Williams & Associates is the go-to dental clinic in Orpington. We offer a wide array of services that are geared towards addressing any and all of our patient’s needs. You can expect only the best and highest standards of services, as our team of experts is dedicated to providing our patients with the best care possible. Contact us to schedule an appointment today!